Opinions & Interviews

MINSK, 30 January (BelTA) – Belarus stands ready to make any contribution to the security of the European continent, Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko said as he met with European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighborhood Policy Johannes Hahn on 30 January, BelTA has learned.

“Our country is in the heart of Europe. This speaks a lot. You can count on us. We will always stay committed to good-neighborly relations and are ready to make any contribution to the security on the European continent. It is of utmost importance today,” the president said.

According to Alexander Lukashenko, Belarus is interested in expanding economic ties with the EU. “It is the second largest economic union for Belarus. The EU is the second top largest foreign trading partner of Belarus,” he said.

The head of state expressed gratitude for the progress reached in the talks on Belarus’ WTO accession, and the support in the organization of the forums in Vienna and Luxembourg to discuss the prospects of the trade and economic cooperation between Belarus and the EU. “You have done a lot to make these events happen. This is a good contribution to the cooperation between Belarus and the European Union,” the president stressed.